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Video : A Brief Primer on Hammock Suspension, Part III : Constriction

a.k.a. "Whoopie Slings for Hammocking : The Movie". Intended for the mildly curious in what this Whoopie Sling and UCR business is all about.

Little did I know when I did the earlier "Brief Primer on Hammock Suspension" videos that a new way of using cord suspensions was about to show up on the HF scene.

When ZA206 popped in and talked about his Utility Constrictor Rope, it set off a wave of posts, asking questions, making observations, making the connection with Whoopie Slings, posts on splicing, and fids, and .... the kind of stuff that keeps me hanging 'round Hammock Forums.

It was only a matter of time until someone opined that it would be helpful if someone put up a video on these suspensions based on rope constriction. I figured I would once I had enough experience with them to be able to contribute something by way of explanation, if not actual technology.

So the video is made, I confess it is a bit more rushed and less polished than I like, but discretionary time is vanishing and if I didn't do it this last couple of days it wouldn't get done until late September.

“I think that when the lies are all told and forgot the truth will be there yet. It dont move about from place to place and it dont change from time to time. You cant corrupt it any more than you can salt salt.” - Cormac McCarthy

you must be talking about the video. I cant imagine the whoopie sling not working. I used to have issues with Firefox browser not viewing some video type things but that has been a few versions ago. I am sure it is just a matter of installing missing plugins or something. Can you view ANY youtube videos?

Anyway, another Awesome video Grizz! Very informative. I also liked the intro...LOL. So I am sure you have said it in the other thread but which one suspension DO you actually use now, the UCR or the Whoopie sling?

I'm curious: for those folks who have tried out the whoopee slings, how's the ease of use factor compared to the strap & ring suspension? I get the lighter weight, but since I'm not an ultra-light camper/hiker weight's not an issue for me.

I just can't imagine that the whoopee sling + tree hugger + toggle combination is easier to use than a single strap + carabiner. (Maybe it's because I know my organizational abilities, and I think I'd have sling, straps, and toggles permanently tangled up.)

Can people chime in with their thoughts on when a whoopee sling suspension is best or "most appropriate"?

....
So I am sure you have said it in the other thread but which one suspension DO you actually use now, the UCR or the Whoopie sling?

SC

the whoopie sling is way more fool proof and I like that. I've made UCR's from both 1/8" Amsteel blue and Vectrus. The Amsteel ones I've made slip majorly, but the Vectrus ones grab quite nicely. I like the rope efficiency of the UCR, particularly on long stretches of cord (like I typically plan for).

My 1.7 oz blackbird has a UCR at one end and a whoopie sling at the other, both vectrus. I think I'll leave it that way for a while to continue to get some experience with both. My DIY bridge has vectrus whoopie slings because I was in a rush to turn the existing single line into a constriction suspension and the whoopie was fastest---just pop the working end of the cord through a constrictor stretch. Another hammock has Amsteel whoopie slings.

For someone just getting into this I'd suggest the whoopie sling first. Develop some confidence and experience, and then experiment a little with a UCR.